Kindergarten: Busses, Bullies, F-Bombs and Bad Girls

You all, I’m sorry it’s taking me so long to talk about kindergarten. I’m especially sorry to those of you who’ve been with me since the beginning and have children who started kindergarten, too. I’m your fearless leader... I’m the one who talks about the crazy... But I can't. Why?Kindergarten is fu*king crazy sh!t.

There is so much to say, but it’s so hard because both Ollie and I are having such a hard time processing and adapting to this new world of public school and kindergarten, and all the insane influences that go along with it. The transition has been, well, horrible. I've wanted to yank him out of Public School and put him back at the private school he attended for Pre-school and Pre-k. He's just a night and day child between the two schools.

My perfect little child, who NEVER had an issue with pre-school or Pre-K, since Kindergarten has started:

Every week he has a note on his calendar about his crap behavior. His teacher sends home a calendar in his folder every night. If he's been good, he gets a little sticker. If he's been a shit, there's a note.

He dropped the F-bomb on the playground with three other boys and a girl. Apparently, it was f-bomb explosion.

He told the music teacher she looks like a scary witch.

He got bullied on the bus by a 4th-grade girl-- The told him he was stupid and everyone hated him.

He went from being the "By far brightest child in the class" to "Average kindergartener" according to his new teacher.

Honestly, the list goes on.

Which brings me to one of my biggest inner-mother-struggles to date, finding the balance between breaking my five-year-old child's spirit and teaching him to not be an asshole at school.He's getting in trouble for not sitting still, laughing loud, "not listening to directions the first time" being disruptive in line. But it’s not for horrible things, minus the F-bomb on the playground. How hard-core should I be about the punishment? How long do I take away tech time? If the poor kid has a week-long punishment, he'd never have anything because he gets in trouble once a week.

Then there's the part about me swearing up and down I would never be one of those mother's that thinks the teacher is too hard on my child, or question her rules and reactions. I know my child is not perfect. I know sometimes he has a hard time following directions the first time, sitting still and keeping his mouth shut. Truth be told, I'm in my thirties and still struggle with all of that! But in no way shape or form is he a "bad kid." I don't care how many notes home he get on his calendar!

Sometimes, I let it all get to me. What I've learned so far is to count the good days against the bad days. Understand that we all have bad days, and to treat each incident separately. My son is a great kid, he's just having a horrible time settling into Kindergarten at this new school.

I'll write more, I promise. It's just shitty because all I want to write is FUCK THAT SCHOOL. FUCK KINDERGARTEN And FUCK MILITANT STYLE TEACHING!

So, until I can talk about kindergarten without shouting and dropping my own F-Bombs, it's probably best that I wait a little longer so the dust can settle.

April is an award-winning writer, blogger and proud debut novelist - The Devlyn Disguise. Her work has been published in over ten countries and four languages. From books to newspapers, to print/online magazines and everything in between, you can find her work. For more about April, Visit AprilMcCormick.com